|
Former casino executive Gamal Aziz and private equity firm
founder John Wilson are the first defendants to face trial over
charges stemming from the "Operation Varsity Blues"
investigation of the U.S. college admissions scandal.
They are among 57 people charged over a scheme in which wealthy
parents conspired with California college admissions consultant
William "Rick" Singer to fraudulently secure college placement
for their children.
Singer pleaded guilty in 2019 to facilitating cheating on
college entrance exams and funneling money from the parents to
corrupt coaches and athletics officials in order to secure the
admission of their children as fake athletes.
The scandal ensnared executives and celebrities including
actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman, who were among 47
defendants who agreed to plead guilty. Former President Donald
Trump pardoned one parent.
Aziz, also known as Gamal Abdelaziz, is the ex-president of Wynn
Resorts Ltd's Macau subsidiary. Wilson is a former Gap Inc and
Staples Inc executive who founded Hyannis Port Capital.
Prosecutors alleged Aziz, 62, agreed in 2018 to pay $300,000 to
secure his daughter's admission to the University of Southern
California (USC) as a basketball recruit.
Prosecutors said Wilson, 64, in 2014 paid $220,000 to have his
son falsely designated a USC water polo recruit.
They said he later sought to pay another $1.5 million to
fraudulently secure spots for his two daughters at Stanford and
Harvard universities, an arrangement Singer discussed with
Wilson on recorded calls while cooperating with investigators.
(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
